(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The country has reported its first two fatalities linked to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Wednesday.

In a message to reporters, the DOH said the patients were both unvaccinated senior citizens who had pre-existing medical conditions.

“Both were detected during the latest whole genome sequencing. Both deaths were aged more than 60 years,” the agency added.

The two deaths were logged in Metro Manila and in Central Luzon, it noted.

The DOH stressed that while most Omicron cases present asymptomatic and mild disease, data showed that the elderly, those with underlying illnesses, and those who have yet to get their COVID-19 shots are still at risk.